Red Sea dolphins slather their skin in coral mucus (because nature is wonderfully gross.) Young dolphins seem to learn this skin care routine from their elders as the coral mucus contains bioactive compounds that may prevent and treat skin infections.
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00:00Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins practice a very thorough skin care routine, which involves
00:06a lot of coral mucus.
00:10These dolphins live in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt and rub their bodies against
00:15certain types of corals and sponges.
00:19Scientists first observed this rubbing behavior about 13 years ago after divers had already
00:23seen it anecdotally.
00:27At the time, scientists didn't know why the dolphins shimmied against the corals in
00:30this way, but they suspected that the behavior might have medicinal benefits.
00:35Now, in a new study, these researchers have identified 17 bioactive compounds that the
00:41dolphins' preferred corals and sponges produce.
00:45These compounds include antibacterial substances and antioxidants, as well as hormone-like compounds
00:51that might help maintain skin hydration and elasticity.
00:55Plus, some of the corals produce small amounts of toxic compounds that may help to kill parasites
01:00on the skin's surface.
01:02By regularly coating their silver-gray bodies in these compounds, the dolphins may prevent
01:07and treat skin infection, as well as generally maintain their skin microbiomes, or the community
01:13of microorganisms that live on their flesh.
01:16These are the first officially reported observations of a dolphin species self-medicating in this
01:22way.